1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the field of hand-held mops, and more particularly to the field of mops with disposable cleaning elements.
2. Description of the Related Art
Traditional wet mops include a fibre absorptive rope head element which is used in wet rung condition and which is periodically rinsed in a bucket of soapy water and rung to semi-dry condition for reapplication to a floor or other surface. After completion of the operation, the bucket is emptied and the mop head is allowed to dry for reuse.
This task is burdensome and many attempts have been made in the prior art to simplify it. It is known in the prior art to provide a mop handle attached to a mop head to which a cleaning sheet is applied and affixed thereto by a clamping arrangement. For example, in WO01/12052 an arrangement is disclosed in which a sheet is applied over the planar cleaning surface of the mop head, wrapped around to a rear surface, and retained in four attachment structures which grip the sheet. Another arrangement disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,815,878 discloses a similar arrangement in which the cleaning sheet is applied over the cleaning face of the mop head and wrapped around to a back face where it is clamped at opposed ends of the mop head by clamp members.
These arrangements have the disadvantage that it is not only burdensome to fit and remove the cleaning sheet, it also requires the user to handle the cleaning sheet. After use of the cleaning sheet, the job of removal of the dirty cleaning sheet can be messy and unpleasant for the user. This is particularly so when the mop is a wet mop and the cleaning sheet is moist or wet.